The Travels of Eight
by SaoirseParisa
Summary: A collection of Octopath Traveler one shots focusing on all of the characters, plus a few NPCs, on varying subjects. (Chapter 2, Not Like The Others: Out of all the teachers she met in her life, Therese liked Professor Cyrus Albright the best.)
1. Sink or Swim

**Author's Note** : Hello! So...this is my first fic for Octopath Traveler, so I'm new to the whole fandom. I'm Julia. It's nice to meet you all! This'll be a collection of oneshots and vignettes showing the characters interacting and in various situations. Since one of the biggest complaints about the game was that the main eight characters barely interact much, I thought I'd try my hand at this so I can fill that void for us Octopath fans, hence the reason why I'm making this into a collection of oneshots instead of a billion separate ones. I hope you enjoy them! I'm already working on a bunch of other long fics right now, so I won't update this too often unless I'm in the mood to bang something out. Anyway, here's The Travels of Eight! (Also, the title of this collection comes from one of the books in The Prydain Chronicles called The Book of Three). I only played through the game once, so if the characters seem OOC, please let me know so I can rectify things. Constructive criticism is always welcome!

* * *

 **Sink or Swim**

 **Character(s):** Alfyn, Tressa, Therion

 **Summary** : Therion isn't sure what to do when Alfyn and Tressa invite him to go for a swim in Clearbrook.

* * *

"Woohoo!" Alfyn Greengrass bellowed with cheer as he leaped right into the creek, sending a torrent of water every which way. It wasn't so big that it drenched anyone passing by, thankfully, but his loud, joyful cheering and the melodramatic way he announced his action was enough to turn heads.

In particular, Therion shot a glare in the apothecary's direction. Did Alfyn really have to be so loud? Couldn't he have jumped into the water more quietly? He dug his teeth into an apple, allowing the sound of his chewing to block out Alfyn's merry laughter and his splashing the river water. Therion thanked Aeber above that he wasn't so close to the river that he got drenched, having spared himself even more cause for irritation. Wet clothes did not make for a speedy thief, he reminded himself.

"Hey, Therion! Tressa!" Alfyn called out, waving his arm in their direction, eyes shining with joy. "Come on in! The water's great!"

Alfyn wanted Therion to jump into the river with him? Therion huffed. Not a chance. "I'll pass, thank you," He said, tone non-committal. Therion could swim just fine. He was just in no mood for swimming in a huge river, and had never been in one since...well, forever.

"Oooh!" In contrast, a young lady who was nearby lit up at Alfyn's invitation. She stood up quickly, her faded brown merchant's hat falling off of her head. "I've never swam in a river before! Count me in! Hang on just a sec!" Within seconds, she threw off her shoes and rummaged through her massive backpack. "Let me just change into my swimsuit first!" She called back with enthusiasm, pulling out many odds and ends before finally yanking out a blue bathing suit. Just as quickly, she ran towards a cluster of trees nearby, which Therion deduced was to change without having the boys eyes leering on her. Fair enough. He never was the type to be interested in women and their bodies anyway.

"Wait…" A random thought popped into Therion's head. "Why does a merchant like her need a swimsuit?" He asked aloud, to no one in particular.

Right afterward, Tressa, draped in a dark blue swimsuit, sprinted across the grass, barefoot. "Cannon baaaaaall!" She leaped into the air, curled into a ball, and allowed the river to swallow her right up. Once again, a big splash of water rained down on the campsite they set up. This time, just a tiny bit of water fell on the side of Therion's face, dampening part of his snow white hair.

"Uuuugh," Therion let out an irritated growl, running a hand through his wet hair. "Seriously?" He came here for some rest and relaxation, not to get water splashed on him by a bunch of overgrown children.

Completely oblivious to the thief's annoyance, Alfyn and Tressa simply enjoyed themselves, splashing each other with river water, their hearty laughter ringing through the forest. Tressa's nut brown hair turned several shades darker once it was soaked to the roots, and Alfyn's shaggy, straw-colored locks turned shaggier than ever, sticking to his face and neck like glue. As far as Therion was concerned, they both looked ridiculous. But they didn't seem to care all that much.

"Eeek! What are you doing?!" Therion heard Tressa squeal. It definitely wasn't a cry for help, he knew that much. Looking up from his apple, he saw Alfyn carrying Tressa in his arms, bridal-style, and having a grand time doing so.

"Somebody needs a bath!" Alfyn roared happily before throwing Tressa into the air. Squealing once again, she was unceremoniously thrown back into the river, and yet another splash rocked the water, sending ripples everywhere. Good thing she was farther out this time. Therion was in no mood to be drenched again.

After flailing her limbs a bit, Tressa popped back out from the water, sending offended glares in the apothecary's direction. "Mrgrgr! Alfyn!" She growled, shaking her fist in the air, keeping her eyes shut so the water didn't get in. "I'm gonna get you for that!" She charged right at him, using her hands to splash water in his face with every step she took.

Therion held a hand to his face to stifle a chuckle. As annoying as those two could be, he couldn't help but find their antics to be kind of funny, even though they weren't normally the type of people he'd want to hang out with. They were nice enough, and they did have their good points. He didn't necessarily mind their company. But still, Therion couldn't let his guard down. The last time he let himself be friends with someone, they used him and threw him away like garbage. The scars from that awful day still plagued him, and there was no bandage or remedy big enough to even come close to healing them. No way was he going to be hurt like that again. Ever.

"Hey, Therion!" Tressa called out, waving to him from the river. "You wanna join us for a swim? Seriously, the water's great!"

The thief huffed at her enthusiasm. First Alfyn was inviting him in, and now Tressa? Couldn't they take the hint? He didn't want to swim and that's final. For all he knew, they could easily show a dark side that he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle. Not after that day.

"And come out turned into a shriveled up prune? I'll pass," Therion answered sharply.

Both Tressa and Therion exchanged disappointed glances. "Awww, alright," Tressa conceded defeat. "But you're really missing out. You can come in whenever you like!" With that, the two of them were back to splashing each other and laughing like idiots.

' _...That must be what it's like to spend time with friends,'_ Therion found himself thinking right after he rejected their invitation. In spite of the walls he spent years building around himself, a part of him was yearning to join them in their fun. Dunk their heads into the water, sneak up behind them, or even catch some fish with his hands. During the days and nights he spent wandering the streets, looking for his next meal wherever he could find it, often times he found himself watching kids playing together. Throwing a ball around. Swimming in ponds. Chasing each other around, playing tag, hide and seek, or play acting with various props like fake swords and shields. Climbing trees. Gathering junk and pretending they were playing house. More often than not, he had wished he could join them in their games.

But surviving came first. Besides, who would let a dirty thief like him play with them anyway? For that matter, he's 22 years old now. Too old for such childish things. On the other hand, Alfyn was 21 and Tressa was 18 in spite of her looks and childish attitude. They were adults, but here they were, acting like children and enjoying themselves without a care in the world. Could he maybe let himself go and have fun like that, too…? It wasn't like they were doing anything complicated, just messing around.

Slowly, he undid the button on his favorite purple shawl, sliding it through the hole and pulling it off of himself, shedding the shield that he kept around himself. Underneath, he was completely shirtless, and he proceeded to remove his dirt covered boots, leaving only his pants on. Good enough. He had an extra pair, so getting this one wet wouldn't hurt. He didn't bother putting on a shirt, as summers here in Alfyn's hometown, Clearbrook, were too damn hot for his liking. His conscious was scolding him for giving in like this. What was he thinking? Did they really want a thief like him to hang out with them? Did he not care about his pride?

"I'll probably regret doing this," Therion grumbled before dipping his legs into the river, flinching from the sudden rush of frigid cold that stung his legs. "Damn, that's cold!" He hissed.

"Huh?" Apparently Therion's annoyed uttering was loud enough for Alfyn and Tressa to hear, as they both turned their heads to face him. Their jaws fell wide open as they took in his presence, and he wasn't even that deep into the river. From his neck all the way to his ears, Therion's face flushed a deep crimson once their eyes fixated their gaze on him. But he kept himself calm.

"Hey," He said flatly, tone non-committal as always. "You got room for one more?"

Immediately, Alfyn and Tressa beamed. Tressa took one of the thief's hands into her own and pulled him deeper into the river, where they were playing just a little earlier. "Of course we do, Therion! We always do!" She cheered.

"Hey, Therion! Think fast!" Alfyn exclaimed.

"Wha?" Before Therion could respond, a wall of water suddenly soaked his entire face. "Ugh! You did that on purpose!" He yelled. Just great.

"I couldn't resist!"

"You couldn't, huh?" Therion's voice deepened. Alfyn was going to pay for that. "Let's see you resist this!" Growling like a snow leopard, Therion tackled Alfyn faster than the apothecary could say shucks, and both men were flailing around in the water. Tressa could only laugh from the hilarity of it all, holding her stomach as she was unable to control herself. Especially when she saw Therion dunk poor Alfyn's head in the water. It was the most satisfying thing Therion had done all day.

Of course, all three of them were shivering and soaked to the bone by the late afternoon. Alfyn had even prepared a few remedies on hand in case they all got sick from being in the water for so long. Therion had no idea how he wound up in this situation. Wet and cold were two things the thief did not want to be.

In spite of himself, Therion actually had fun today.


	2. Not Like The Others

**Not Like The Others  
** **Character(s)** : Therese, Cyrus, Princess Mary  
 **Summary** : Out of all the teachers she met in her life, Therese liked Professor Cyrus Albright the best.

* * *

"I wonder what this new teacher is like?"

"Oooh, I hope whoever he or she is, they're better than Professor Sanford! I don't know what I'd do if I have to put up with him again!"

"Do you know if the teacher's male or female?"

"Last I heard, we're getting a male teacher. I heard Lucia speaking to Minnie the other day. She mentioned his name was...Albright or something."

"Maybe he'll be super cool!"

"Is he old or young? I hope we don't get another old teacher again. They're so boring and dull!"

"Come on. Professor Weaver was nice and I liked her a lot."

Gossip and rumors about a new teacher spread like wildfire in a classroom within the confines of Atlasdam Royal Academy. Therese couldn't see what the big deal was. It was just a teacher. What was there to be all up in arms about? She had taken one step into the classroom, and already her ears were bombarded by a gaggle of students going on and on about this new teacher. It had only been two months since the new school year started, and every day, Therese came into school with a frown, even today. But she was happy about one thing, though: the old teacher was gone and would never come back. Thank Aelfric above for that.

She took her seat and opened one of her books, hoping to finally memorize the events that led to the founding of Atlasdam. But even as she read line after line, the voice of the teacher she wholeheartedly despised echoed in her mind. A rough, ragged, husky voice that was always shouting, with no room for kindness, empathy, or patience. The image of a young, burgundy haired woman with sharp, unfeeling gray eyes flashed in her mind, scrutinizing or scolding her for any small, trivial offense, real or imaginary. Therese only had to put up with her for two months, but as far as she was concerned, it was two months too many.

" _Therese!"_ The woman's angry, piercing voice cut through her ear drums, even though she was long gone by this point. But no matter how hard Therese tried, her former teacher's scolding refused to leave her alone. " _What do you mean by such conduct?! Sit in your seat proper, like a lady! Don't slump over your desk like some drunkard!"_

" _Therese! When I call on you, I expect you to know the answer! Honestly, you really need to make more of an effort to study! Or do you feel studying is beneath you?"_

" _Therese! Didn't anyone teach you not to kick your legs under your desk like some unruly child?! Why must you continue to be a thorn in my side?!"_

" _Therese! Eyes on the board! For pity's sake, girl! Do I have to tell your parents that you're slacking off when I'm putting in my valuable time and effort into your education?!"_

" _Therese! I'm dedicating my life to your education and this is how you choose to repay my efforts? Stand in the corner and face the wall! Obey me at once!"_

"Therese? You okay?" Thankfully, a kinder, more pleasant voice pushed the bad memories to the wayside. Therese looked up, seeing a blonde haired woman her own age sitting down next to her.

"Hey, Mary," Therese greeted her timidly. Gradually, she could feel her body relax when her friend sat down. But the pounding in her heart was a bit slow to do the same.

"Is something wrong?" Mary asked, her eyebrows furrowed together in concern. "You looked a little spaced out just now."

"Sorry," Therese muttered, shuffling her books into one neat pile. "I was thinking about Mrs. Farrow."

Mary stuck her tongue out and made a faux gagging noise upon hearing the name. "Ugh. Don't remind me. I hope she's gone forever!" She exclaimed without one hint of hesitation in her voice. Therese could only nod in agreement, wishing she was as open and opinionated as Mary. "I swear, if I had to put up with her for one more day, I'd probably explode!"

The blue haired woman could only giggle in response, holding a hand to her mouth to stifle it. Even though she had always been taught that it was improper to gossip about their teachers, Therese agreed with every word Mary said. From the looks of the other students, it didn't seem like anyone else was missing Professor Farrow either, so her absence was no big loss. Regardless of her absence, however, there was still the possibility that this new teacher would likely be just like her, or even worse. Therese had encountered many an unpleasant tutor and teacher all throughout her life. She knew a few who were nice and had good intentions, but they still wound up making her feel stupid and inadequate whenever she got an answer wrong or didn't do everything they asked even when she wanted to.

For once, just once, she wished there was someone who didn't make a huge deal out of her errors and mistakes.

"You really didn't deserve all the crap she put you through," Mary continued on. "She was nuts."

"Indeed she was."

The clanging of a bell silenced the chatter in the classroom. Everyone sat down and turned towards the entrance, their eyes widening as someone new walked inside. A young man, probably somewhere in his twenties or thirties, made his way to the front of the classroom, but with the straight, graceful way he carried himself, it was as though he was a nobleman making his grand entrance at a formal ball. He dressed like a noble, too: a white button up shirt with long, puffed sleeves hidden underneath a brown vest. A black cloak draped over him, matching his pants, long socks, and his scruffy hair. Therese could see a tiny ponytail going down to the nape of his neck, with a white ribbon tying it up. He was much younger than other teachers she encountered, with soft, dark eyes, and a slender, kind face.

He flashed a warm, welcoming smile at the group of students before him. "Salutations, my fellow students!" His voice was suave and cheerful, and he held his arms akimbo like he was standing on a stage. "My name is Cyrus Albright, and starting today, I'm your new teacher for the rest of the term!"

" _You're_ Professor Farrow's replacement?" One red haired boy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Cyrus nodded affirmatively. "Indeed I am. I'm very much looking forward to spending my time with you all and teaching you all the world has to offer," His Atlasdam accent was thick and very pronounced, but not so much that nobody could understand what he was saying. "But first, might I take some time to get to know you all better?"

Therese kept her expectations low. For all she knew, this Professor Albright might turn out just as stern and unsympathetic as Professor Farrow and other teachers. She answered his questions and participated in class as required, but tried not to let herself get too comfortable. However, over the next two weeks, she found herself gradually warming up to the shaggy haired, handsome scholar. Cyrus Albright turned out to be a bright, amiable young man with the happy gift of winning and holding the affections of his pupils, in turn bringing out the best in them. None of his lectures were overly long or dragged out, focusing solely on important subjects, and he never surprised any of the students with sudden questions that threw everyone for a loop. Therese definitely appreciated this. Even outside of class, he was cordial and kind.

"Hello, Therese!" He would greet her in the halls when they passed by. "How goes your day?"

"Quite well, thank you," She would reply, keeping her responses short and sparse.

She took notice of the way he talked to everyone individually.

"I must say, Piotr, I thought your composition on the Kindling was very well written. Your writing has a very enthusiastic, whimsical quality about it, and I can see a lot of your personality in your words."

"Linus. I notice you're having some trouble with the sections that focus on Orsterra's creation. If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to help you."

"May I have a word with you for a moment, Clara? Professor Rowell was telling me about the book report you gave in his class the other day. Would it be alright if you showed it to me? I admit that I find myself very interested in reading it."

"There's no shame in getting an answer wrong, Yolanda. Nobody is perfect. Besides, you managed to get this part right, and you used to have so much trouble with it before. I think that is something to be proud of."

Not once did Cyrus ever point out someone's flaws or deficiencies, much less make a huge deal about them like they were a blight on humanity that needed to be eliminated at all costs. She saw the way her classmate Yolanda blossom under his tutelage, shedding the seemingly permanent glare on her face and smiling more and more, looking more confident in herself. All of his students seemed to bloom under his open-minded, sympathetic way of teaching.

One day, Therese's opinion of him had changed completely.

At the end of class, she found that she received a 63 on a recent test. A sixty three! Her heart fell into the pit of her stomach when she saw that red set of numbers on top of the paper, with plenty of X's to go with it. She had studied for this test for weeks, pouring over her books, taking notes, and participating in class discussions. But alas, her efforts were in vain. It didn't take long for the paper in her hands to suddenly morph into a blurry, wet mass, and pitiful, hiccupy sobs escaped her lips.

Neither of which went unnoticed.

"Therese?"

The blue haired girl jumped a little when she heard Cyrus's voice right next to her. He sat down in the chair next to hers. Therese shrunk back a little. For a moment, she was sure Professor Farrow had come back, ready to declare her a dunce in front of the entire class and make a show of her failure. Was Cyrus here to do the same? Therese held the paper to her chest as though it were a shield. Her eyes were shut, so she didn't notice the concerned look on his face.

"You're crying, my girl. What's wrong? Are you alright?" He asked in a low, soft voice.

What? Therese opened her eyes. For once, nobody was yelling or screaming. She had prepared herself to face the music, but there was none. When was the last time a teacher had asked her if she was okay? She searched her memory, but found nothing.

"I'm sorry...it's just…" As much as she wanted to hold the tears back, they kept flowing, leaving dark marks on the table and parts of her test. "I studied so hard...I really did...but I still failed! I really am stupid, just like Professor Farrow said!" She sobbed, holding the test in front of her face to shield herself from Cyrus's potential disappointment. Did she really need yet another teacher to tell her what a dunce she was, claiming that she was lazy and not putting in enough effort even though she really did?

Aelfric was on her side that day. Cyrus flashed a sympathetic smile and said, "Don't cry so, Therese. I know you did the best you could. It makes me sad to hear you call yourself stupid, because I don't believe that to be true at all."

"Aren't you...mad at me? Don't you think I'm a dunce?"

Cyrus's jaw dropped, like she was asking him if he saw the nation of Hornburg fall to its doom with his own eyes. "What makes you think I would be angry and call you a dunce?" Cyrus found himself asking in alarm. What had this girl gone through to convince her of such things? "To answer your question, you are not a dunce, and I'm not angry at all."

In that moment, Therese found herself opening up to him, telling him about Professor Farrow and how she treated many of the students, including herself. Cyrus listened and let his student speak, his eyes widening the more he heard about her. With every word she spoke, Therese felt that a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Even more so when she saw Cyrus looking visibly appalled by her accounts of Professor Farrow's transgressions.

"My word...I must say, while I do respect Halle Farrow as a fellow scholar, I never did find myself fond of her rather...distressing methods of teaching," Cyrus finally said once Therese finished. "I suspected that she always favored the more gifted students and neglected the children who struggled, but hearing all of this...I can certainly see why you were so distrustful before."

Therese's eyes sparkled like morning dew. Finally, someone who actually understood how she felt!

"I'll have a word with the headmaster about her behavior later today. But for right now…" Cyrus said, glancing at her test paper. "If you'd like, you can retake the test."

"I can?"

Cyrus nodded. "Other students didn't do so well either, but it's not the end of the world, my girl. Failure is what paves the way to success," He said. "In fact, I have some free time on my hands right now. Would you like to accompany me to the library? I think I know where you might be struggling, and I'd be happy to offer you some help in studying. I plan on assisting the other children as well."

Something stirred inside the blue haired girl in that moment. She had been completely wrong about this man. She had assumed he would be just like the other teachers she knew. Stern, high strung, unsympathetic, and too happy to reproach those who didn't meet their standards. Not all teachers were like this, she knew, but she had encountered so many of those particular people that they were the most prominent in her life. Yet here was this lively, polite, energetic man not only going out of his way to help her, but not once had he made her feel stupid and inadequate. Never before was she so happy to be wrong about someone. Where had this man been all her life?

"I'd...like that very much...thank you, Professor…" Therese sputtered, her words stumbling into each other as she gathered her books. Her face flushed a deep crimson upon standing up from her desk, her tears having disappeared by this point.

A warm, welcoming smile spread across his face. "There's no need to get flustered, my girl. The library's still open, and I know Mercedes can find some great books that we need."

There was no denying it now. Out of all the teachers she met in her life, Therese liked Professor Cyrus Albright the best.

* * *

 **A/N** : Just for clarification, this one shot takes place a few years before the events of Cyrus's story. At the end of his tale, he's shown in a classroom with several students, Mary and Therese included, and that made me wonder if he was just a regular teacher before the royal family asked him to solely tutor Mary and Therese. I like to think that's what might have happened, so I thought I'd roll with the idea.

Oh, and also just for clarification, NO, I absolutely do not ship Cyrus/Therese. That's creepy and unethical.


End file.
